Book-rest.



L. I. HUGHES.

BOOK REST. APPLICATION FILED 001..10. 1913.

1,117,386, Patented Nov. 1'7, 1914.

LYDA I. HUGHES, 0F CHEROKEE, IOWA.

BOOK-JRES'I'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed October 10, 1913. Serial No. 79 1,400

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYDA I. I'lUGI-IES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cherokee, county of Cherokee, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Book-Rests, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to book rests, the object of the invention being to provide for the support of the book in an upright position with the leaves sustained in a common plane, and this without regard to the particular point at which thebook is opened.

"With this object in view, my invention consists of a book rest comprising a suitable base, and two supports for the book covers, said supports being pivotally mounted between their side edges, so that by rocking on their pivotal axes the supports will automatically adjust themselves to the book covers and sustain the leaves in the same general plane.

The invention consists also in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of my improved book rest and a book supported thereby. Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the book rest on a reduced scale, with the book removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section showing the devices for adjusting and controlling the line guide bar.

Referring to the drawings: 1 represents a suitable base adapted to rest on a table or desk or other support. This base is provided with an inclined upwardly and forwardly extending supporting surface 2, on which the open book is adapted to rest so as to be sustained in a generally upright position. slightly inclined to the rear.

3, 3, represent two standards fixed at their lower ends to the base and extendingupwardlv vertically with their forward edges inclined slightly rearwardly.

4. 4. represent supports for the two covers or backs of the book, which supports are in the form of flat plates and are pivotally connected between their side edges to the forward edges of the standards. preferably by means of hinges 5, by which construction the said plates may rock independently of each other on their respective upright axes. The book is adapted to be su ported in upright position as shown in Fig. 1, with the backs of the two covers resting respectively side edges with the standards, as described,

with the edges of said plates free, they will automatically adjust themselves to the proper positions and inclinations to support the book covers so that the open leaves will extend in a generally common plane, without regard to the point at which the book is opened. This I deem an important feature of my invention, in that in the support of large record books containing a great number of leaves, the open leaves will be sustained in a common transverse plane. the rocking movements of the plates permit ting one to offer a support for one of the book covers in advance of the other cover,

according to the difference in the number of leaves overlying the respective covers. As a result, no matter at what particular po nt the book may be opened, the covers will be gi en such relative support that the leaves will extend in the same general transverse plane.

In order that the open leaves may be held flatly and smoothly down. I provide a bar or rail lO, which is adapted to extend in hori zontal position transversely across the leaves,

and in order that this bar may ser e as a.

guide for the eye in following the lines on the pages. I provide means for adiusting the bar vertically. These means comprise two bands or other flexible. connections 9. fastened at their forward ends to the bar at points near the opposite ends of the same, whence. they extend upwardly and rearwardly over the upper edges of the book covers and leaves sustained thereby. and then downwardly at the rear of the plates 4, and have their rear ends fastened to rotary drums 6. 6. These drums are mounted loosely in bearing openings in the standards. and have their inner ends mounted in bearings in a central post 7. fixed to the base. The drums are held against outward end wise mo ement by means of collars 8. 8, fixed to the drums by pins 8. and adapted to bear against the inner sides of the standards, a spiral spring 12, being mounted in the bearing opening in the central pillar between the inner ends of the drums and acting to maintainthem with the collars hear.- ing against the standards. As a result of this construction, the two drums may be rotated independently of each other, and by their rotation, effected by means of the heads 6, 6, on the outer ends of the respective drums, the bands may be wound thereon to raise the bar, or may be unwound therefrom to lower the bar. When the book is supported by the book rest as shown in Fig.1, the bands pass over the upper edges of the leaves, and by providing for the independent adjustments of the two bands by the mechanism described, the line finding bar may be maintained accurately in a horizontal position in proper alinement with the lines, without regard to the number of leaves which may be supported by the respective covers. The heads for turning the drums are within easy reach of the operator seated at the front of the book, who may without leaving his seat, operate the two drums together or independently of each other, according as circumstances may demand.

In order that the open leaves of the book may receive support at their lower edges so as to prevent them from sagging, I provide devices 11, 11, in the form of flat portable plates, which are adapted to be inserted between the upper face of the incl-inedsupporting surface 2, and the under edgesof the leaves, and in front of the book-covers and in this position will give direct support to the leaves and prevent the same from sink- 1ng.a

In the accompanying drawings and. in the foregoing description,.I have disclosed my invention in the particular form and detailed construction which I prefer to adopt, and which in practice has been found to answer to a satisfactory degree the ends to be attained. It will be manifest however to the skilled mechanic, that these details may be variously changed and modified without departing from the, limits of my invention;

, and further it will be understood-that the Copies ,of this patent may be, obtained for five cents each, by addressing the invention is not limited to any particular form or construction of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a book rest, the combination of a base, uprights fixedly sustained thereby, and supports for the book covers, said supports being independently pivoted between their sideedges to said uprights on parallel up-e right axes, and having their side edges free and disconnected fromeach other and said supports extending side by side in a 001m mon plane in position to supportthe covers of an open book; whereby said supports are free to automatically and independentlyadjust themselves on their pivotal axes according to the point at which the book is opened. I 2. In a book rest, the combination of a base provided with a forwardly and vupwardly inclined supporting surface for the lower edges of the book, fixed uprights extending upwardly from said base, supports for the book covers pivoted independently between their side edges to the frontedges re spectively of said uprights on upright parallel axes, and having their side edges free and disconnected from each other, said supports extending side by side in ,aucommon plane in position to support the covers of an open book; whereby said supports are free to automatically and independently ad ust themselves on their pivotal axes according to the point at which the book is opened.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this sixth day of October, 1913, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses LYDA I. HUGH-ES. Witnesses:

CHAs. E.'Mooun,

CLAUDE M. SULLIVAN.

Uommissioner of latents,

WashingtomD. 0. 

